DRC: Joseph Kabila, the former president turned pariah

Joseph Kabila, former president of the DRC from 2001 to 2019, is now facing a death sentence and U.S. sanctions. After leaving the country in 2023, he reappeared in May 2025 in Goma, expressing his desire to end the dictatorship in the DRC. His return raised concerns in Kinshasa, leading to the lifting of his immunity and a conviction for treason. The U.S. accuses him of sowing instability and supporting the armed group M23.